The U.S. Naval Academy has officially dropped race, ethnicity, and sex as factors in its admissions process, aligning with President Trump’s January executive order. This marks a permanent shift from affirmative action policies and prompt dismissal of legal challenges against the change. The move reaffirms a merit-based approach and ends court disputes started by Students for Fair Admissions.
The decision comes after Vice Admiral Yvette Davids issued February guidance directing the academy to remove race or sex from candidate evaluations. The policy change followed an executive order issued on January 27, 2025, mandating merit-only criteria across the military.
In a joint court filing, the Justice Department and Students for Fair Admissions requested dismissal of the lawsuit, saying the admissions change made the case moot and invalidates the prior district court ruling. The filing also seeks to vacate that ruling to prevent it from becoming legal precedent.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reinforced the policy in May, ordering all service academies to eliminate race, ethnicity, and gender as admission criteria. His directive emphasizes merit above all, allowing limited consideration for athletic talent or military experience only.
Critics, including Rep. Sarah Elfreth, warn that ending diversity goals may undermine military readiness and officer recruitment. Supporters, led by SFFA’s Edward Blum, call it a triumph for fairness and constitutionality.
